Thanks. I had been asking on /another/ forum site but was getting nowhere other than to purchase the $90 kit. I have seen this done before but nobody had the measurements. Since I couldn't sleep, I figured I would go design this mod.

I am opening my hood all the time today just for fun. Went out this morning and it popped right open by itself after I released the safety catch. Neat. Might do this mod to my old Caravan too. And the wifes old Mustang. Gonna have to grab more ball mounts from the junkyard though.

 

Awesome man!

Thats just good stuff right there! When i go to the JY tomorrow to get my driver side corner marker light and the plastic ring that goes around all the lights on that side i will ask about getting that stuff too! i gotta do this, I'm sick of having to use the prop rod already after 2 and half years of owning!

 

sweet idea dude

 

now thats so kool lol, ill have to put that on the "building the 91' " build article

 

I am throwing a suggestion out there:

Use TWO weak lifts. (One on each side)

If not your hood will not latch "centered" and the one lift pushes the hood over when closed. Making it harder to "pop"

Also, you need to be cautious of the ECM (for those with them mounted next to the airbox.

Why do you think I didn't release HSP's version. I didn't like the end result.

With that said, I am returning to "lurk-mode"

 

Agreed. there is a reason that the wife's WJ has two shocks. Hood geometry isnt compromised when it has equal pressure on both sides. If someone has an XJ hood laying around and can weigh it, you should be able to take 80 % of that weight, divide it by two, and by two struts that will lift the hood nicely and keep it at its top position while working there. the prop rod can always be used as a safety.

Not to take away from the thread, a great job and cool idea!!

 

I don't understand your concern.

All brands of oils/ greases have to meet industry standards with the exception of "re-refined" oils. That means that Wal-Mart oil has to pass the same tests as Rotella or Valvoline.

I've used store brand lubes for nearly 40 years and never have I had a problem with them in cars, trucks, motorhomes, motorcycles or lawnmowers. I'd say I've saved at least $5000 on oil costs.

Btw, some of those engines (three 225 slant sixes) had over 300,000 miles each on them when finally retired.

Budd

 

Great idea, but use two of them. Your putting a bit more strain on the other hinge side. Plus the hood has a "lazy eye" thing going on. Plus keep the old prop rod for just in case.

I actually have the hoodlift on mine, but it came with it that way, and they work awesome.

 

Agreed.

I worked at a NAPA store, and we had NAPA-brand oil. It came from the same distributor as our Texaco brands (Valvoline, Havoline, etc...) in the same white bottles with the same label-ink and font.

We called it NAPAline in the store.

 

yeah i use NAPA sythetic -- as far im told its just as good as the big name synths.

 

So to both get back on track and revive a dead thread....I have a question: I want to make sure the hood isn't a struggle to close. So say I've decided to use two struts and they are both still very strong, should I move the mounting point in the engine bay away from the front or towards the front? I would think away from the front but I want to sanity check this with you guys (even though this might not be the best group to find to sane people in).

 

bump

 

It's the old law of leverages: the longer the arm and the closer the pivot point to the load, the easier to move the load but it won't move as far.

So, you would move both mounts back toward the cowl. The caveat is that now you may not have enough strut to hold the hood up all the way.

Trial and error, but don't repeat the errors.

Budd

 

Right but here's my problem. I'm gunna keep the hood prop just as a fail safe, so I'm going to mount the gas struts to the hood where ever the struts will hold the hood just past the prop being able to go in.

So I need to make sure of two things:
1) The length between these two points when the hood is closed is not shorter than the compressed strut.
2)Its not a PITA to close the hood. I guess once I have every thing mocked up I'll test fit it for a few different scenarios.

 

why do it if your still going to use the prop rod?

it's not like they will give out all of a sudden. they will just get wore out and let the hood slowly droop down.